Stealing Hearts
by Chris Parker
Summary: Sarah Walker didn't plan on getting caught….ever. Being a con woman is hard enough, but things get even more difficult when she must rely on the Good Samaritan Chuck Bartowski to survive, after getting wounded in the middle of the most important cons of her life. She may end up stealing more than she planned.
1. Chapter 1

**First story. **

**"I own not, you sue not."**

**-LOS ANGELES, CA: EXACT LOCATION UNKNOWN: 10:00 PM-**

"I'm losing you! Franco, you there?" The crackling earpiece had barely even nicked "Rebecca's attention from the hard, dark pavement before her, all of it a blur.

"Shaw, I'm going to kill you!" "Rebecca" growled through the earpiece, quickly turning left of the large corporate building, starting down a new path. To her, it all looked the same. Dark on top of dark. The cold air froze her cheeks as she tore through it, making her hasty escape.

"Shaw's not there." Justin's cold voice filled the other end of the line. "Do you have it?" his voice was raw with anxiety. Not for her….for the chip.

"No." She replied steadily, her gaze falling behind her as she turned her head. The guards had just caught her turn and were drawing their guns. She approached a quick fork in the road.

"Right or left?" She demanded, panting the words out.

A pause.

"JUSTIN, NOW!" she cried.

"Left." He decided, his voice cold and calculating, as if she wasn't about to get shot.

Sarah turned left, into the darkness, running fast and hard.

There were five armed security guards there, advancing on her with their guns raised.

"Stop!" They cried as she wheeled around, eyes scanning the thick darkness for some sort of escape…..anything would do. She checked her surroundings; an alleyway. She eyed the dumpster beside her and kicked up in a flurry, using it to fling herself over.

The gun shot rang out.

"Ah!" "Rebecca" cried, hitting the floor with a solid thud.

Several more shots rang out, than cries. Her supposed "team" had arrived. Where the hell were they two minutes ago? She couldn't control the tears that immediately fell as her arm throbbed at first, then felt as if someone were tearing it apart.

Examining it for bullets, she found none. Sighing in relief, she got up to her feet, eyes immediately scanning her surroundings for any more threats. The men behind her were gone, engaged in a firefight she couldn't see. Seizing the opportunity, she hurled herself through the darkness, recognizing the area she was in as the back way to the corporate building she'd stolen from. Her own personal hell.

Both the tension and humidity were palpable as she continued to drag herself forward, abandoning her so called team in the night air. They lied to her. Used her. They led her right into their trap. Shaw, Justin, Lazlo….all of them, she'd been a sucker.

She made her way through the darkness, seeing the faint lights in the distance. She was heading towards the outskirts now, in what was probably the Burbank area.

Minutes felt like hours as she trudged on, tightly pressing her jacket around her wound as she winced and cried. She didn't care….no one was there to see her.

She went on and on towards the light, finally reaching the main street way, where cars were flying by; blurs in the dim light. She let out a huff as she fell against a streetlight, content to die there.

Justin and Shaw could screw themselves…..she had the chip. She'd lied to Justin…..that's why he'd wanted to kill her off. Without the chip, she was nothing but a liability, nothing but some skank they'd picked up.

She was much smarter than that. And her reward? A very serious arm injury in one of her many near death scenarios, the kind her line of work, if it could be called that, brought upon her.

"Morgan, it's not in the trun- Oh my god!" Sarah's head shot up, hands slipping to her knife on her side….the one she'd lost in the building.

The curly haired man looked genuinely confused as he dropped his phone, Sarah watched as it clattered to the hard cement floor.

"Are you alright?" He asked, watching her in utter horror. His eyes fell to the wound on her arm, her black jacket sleeve damp.

"Is….is that…b…blood?" He stuttered, his rich, dark chocolate eyes searching the area. Finding nothing but speeding cars, he immediately came to the conclusion that no one was going to save her.

"Oh god! Let me call 911!"

"NO!" The beautiful blonde spoke for the first time, deep blue eyes meeting his. She winced, leaning back harder against the thick street light. "No…hospitals…" she breathed, angry with herself. How could she let it get this far?'

"What…you'll die!" He argued. "Where's your family? Where do you live?" Questions poured out of him as he ran to retrieve his cell phones. He knelt beside her, eyes finding the wound again. "Let me just…"

"No." She repeated firmly, arm throbbing. She closed her eyes for a minute, the searing pain too much to bear. "I can't…."

Chuck watched her in horror. "What do I do?" He half whispered, unsure of whom it was that he was asking.

"Nothing…." The beauty replied, leaning her head back. She wanted the man to leave….to let her die already.

"My sister is a doctor!" He suddenly seemed to remember. "Our home….it's only two minutes away, please!" he cried, unable to watch someone die on the street when he could help so easily.

"Oh….okay…" Sarah nodded. Chuck turned to open the door, knowing she'd need major help getting back up. The moment he turned away, the blonde ripped the tracking chip and comm. link from her ear, tossing it under his car wheels.

Turning, the chocolate eyed man hurried over, easing her into an upright position as he got her into the car, shutting the door slowly, as if the sound its self could hurt her.

Sliding into the driver's seat he murmured. "I'm Chuck, by the way." He was already pulling out. Sarah thought she heard the comm. link crunch as the ran over it, much to her satisfaction. "Chuck Bartowski…"

Sarah, for whatever reason, decided to go by her favorite, unused alias. "I'm Sarah." She managed, clenching her teeth as she felt a sharp pang in her right arm…her good arm. "Sarah Walker…." And unable to bear the pain anymore, she gave in to the swirling city lights around her, head hitting the window with a gentle thud.

Chuck knew she was running out of time.

"Where exactly did you find her, again?" Ellie asked Chuck, watching the beautiful blonde who was lying on Chuck's bed, arm in a sling. "Chuck, she barely scraped by…"

"Between Redford and Fairplace." He replied, listing the streets easily when he remembered she was under the light. "Somewhere around there anyway…"

"And you brought her here?"

"She wouldn't let me call the hospital, El! I tried, I swear!" Chuck whispered sharply.

Ellie ruffled Chuck's hair….maybe all the old posters in his dimly lit room made her feel nostalgic. "I know you meant good….you always do….but what if Devon and I weren't home?"

Chuck shuddered, clearly reluctant to think of what might have been.

Ellie decided it was time to drop that aspect of their current situation. "What's her name again?" Ellie eyed the blonde with a wondering gaze; the girl looked like she could be right off the cover of a fashion magazine…..but her clothes….it looked like she'd been in a burning house full of thorns….and that was putting it kindly.

"Sarah Walker…." Chuck told her. "That's all she told me before she was out like a light."

"Why didn't she want to see a doctor at the hospital?" Ellie still seemed skeptical.

"Maybe she hates needles like me?"

Ellie rolled her eyes. "Look at her clothes Chuck…..I just cleaned a bullet graze wound."

Chuck's eyes widened at the discovery. "No way."

"Yes…way." Ellie frowned. Who was the potentially dangerous stranger on her brother's bed?

"Oh god…." Chuck breathed. "Do we call the cops?"

Ellie suppressed a wry chuckle. "You think she's had enough for a night?"

"El, stop, you're making my head hurt…." He complained.

Smiling kindly, his sister winked at him. Ellie made a motion to shut the door, but Chuck didn't follow.

Frowning, she asked. "Staying?"

"I want to be here in case she wakes up." Chuck shrugged as if it were nothing.

Ellie sighed, and then nodded. "I'm proud of you Chuck."

"Love you El." He replied with a little Bartowski patented smile.

"Love you more, Chuck."

**-CASA BARTOWSKI, ECHO PARK, CA: 8:00 AM-**

Sarah woke up with a start, pushing off her arms to force herself into an upright position. She immediately cried out in pain, wincing as she regretted her move. Her eyes fell to her arm, resting in a professional looking sling.

"Oh my god, you're up!" The chocolate eyed man spoke….Chuck. "Are you feeling alright?"

Sarah took advantage of the water beside the table, taking a quick sip of the cool liquid to ease her dry throat. Leaning back, she nodded. "What happened….Chuck….?" she managed.

"I got you home and my sister patched you up….the injury itself isn't too bad, but you'd lost a lot of blood….and you were really banged up." He informed her, concern tinting his tone. "I thought we would've lost you for sure…."

Sarah bit her lip for a moment, glancing at him unsurely. This was the worst kind of situation; one without a clear escape route.

Chuck seemed to understand the uneasiness that covered the blonde's expression. He immediately reassured her, in hopes that she might choose to rest a while longer.

"Thank you…" she sighed. "I would've died, if not for you…." She may have wanted it that way.

"Of course…."Chuck nodded, genuinely glad she was alright. "Do you mind if I….ask some quick questions? I can get you breakfast right after."

Sarah took in a breath. Questions were never good. "Yeah….um, sure." She felt like an awkward teenager. Glancing deep into his eyes, she felt her heart rate rise. She quickly averted her gaze.

"So….ah…..what happened?" he asked gently, as if asking louder would make her leave.

"I was….." Sarah paused. How could she word it so that he wouldn't think she was a lying criminal…..she was, after all. "Doing something I shouldn't have." _'God Dammit Walker, that was the best you could do?'_

"Uh huh." Chuck nodded, not willing to admit that he was utterly confused.

"Look….it's ah…um…"

"-let me guess….complicated?" Chuck tried, knowing the line all too well.

Sarah sighed, glancing down. Chocolate eyes over here wasn't making this any easier on her….she was screwed. She had nowhere to go, nowhere to hide, no money, and-the chip! Where were her clothes? She glanced down; finding herself in what was supposedly Chuck's sister's clothing. She sighed in relief when she found them on the chair beside Chuck, the chip hopefully in her pocket.

"I have nowhere to go…" she told him finally, taking in a breath. "I was doing something bad….and I screwed up…."

Chuck nodded, trying not to show any shock. "Family?"

She shook her head. She hadn't seen her dad in a long time, not since she was dropped off by him, leaving her to Shaw and his cronies.

Chuck frowned, taking in a breath. "Alright then, Sarah Walker…." He offered her a little smile. "How about some breakfast?"

Sarah's eyes widened. He wasn't going to kick her out on the spot? She was telling him about her criminal activity for god's sake!

"You're not going to kick me out?" She finally asked.

"What? Oh, god no…." Chuck answered immediately. "I'm going to try and help you…if anything…."

Sarah was shocked, honestly. Why? How could he possibly want anything to do with her? "Why….?" She finally found her voice yet again.

Chuck just smiled, rising from his chair.

"You didn't sleep all night?"

"What?" Chuck looked confused momentarily at the quick subject change. "Oh, no…" he replied. "I wanted to be here incase you woke up…" he reached to rub his neck. "Guess I fell asleep on the job…" he laughed.

Sarah allowed a beautiful little smile, a rarity these past few days. "Thank you, Chuck…"

Chuck smiled, cheeks burning red. "It was really nothing….I just…sleep isn't….I'll see you for pancakes."


	2. Chapter 2

Update: New story called "This Means War" is out.

Disclaimer: "I claim Dis."

**-Casa Bartowksi: 9:30 AM; First day of Sarah's Stay-**

"I hope you're finding the pancakes to your satisfaction?" Chuck smiled as he served her seconds. She glanced down at the syrupy mess with a small, hidden smile.

"Hmm? Oh, ah, yeah. It's been a long time since I've had a home cooked meal..." 'Oops...that wasn't supposed to come out'.

Chuck noticed that she seemed awfully on edge...it was like she was always ready for someone to come out and attack her...maybe she suffered abuse before this? He shuddered. How could people be so sick?

"Are...you okay?"Chuck tried once more to ease the information out of her, rather than prying. His efforts had no such effect, and he remained shut out.

She nodded. "Just a little banged up...uh...Where's your sister...?"

"Trauma call...why?" Chuck asked between bites.

"I should really thank her...before I leave."

Chuck frowned. "Leave? I mean, ah- I- well, if you want..."

"Chuck..." Sarah began, immediately feeling guilty in her heart. "I have to go...I have obligations...people are waiting for me..."

Chuck nodded, averting his gaze. That was certainly more information. People were waiting? For what?

"I wish I could tell you more." She told him reluctantly, setting her dish in his sink.

"Why can't you?" Chuck was duped. What the hell could she have done? Killed somebody?

"It's complicated..." she sighed, leaning against the counter.

"Wanna talk about it?" Chuck offered. "Nothing helps like a good therapy session..."

"Chuck...I really don't think that's wise..."

Chuck nodded, pausing for a moment. "Can I suggest something, then?"

Sarah gestured for him to continue, listening.

"Write it...in a journal."

"I don't have a journal..."

"I'll give you one..."

Sarah bit her lip. As much as she wanted to pour it all out...a journal could be very dangerous evidence.

As if reading her mind, Chuck commented. "You can be as non specific as you like..."

Sarah sighed, setting down her glass of water.

"My right hand is-"

"-just as functional as your left." Chuck finished. "You're ambidextrous."

Sarah's eyes widened. "How do you-"

"I've seen the way you handle things." He motioned to the cup she was holding, and the plate. "You have no trouble."

Sarah closed her eyes shut for a minute, taking a breath.

"Do you regret me saving you, yet?" he tried to lighten up the conversation, making fun of himself.

Sarah sighed, the ghost of an amused smile on her lips. "Give me the damn journal, Chuck."

**-11:30 AM: SARAH'S JOURNAL-**

_He's too kind for his own good. My stay here is endangering him and his family, who were nice enough to patch me up. It's just...I have no choice. I have to lie low, stay out of sight, and do whatever I can to insure the 2x4 doesn't find me. He's probably got the dork and his stupid sidekick raiding the streets around the building, searching for my body...more importantly, the chip. _

_The problem with the damned chip...I don't know what the hell it is, all I know is it's damn important, because the 2x4 doesn't waste his time. They needed me, someone under the radar to retrieve it for them...all he'd tell me is that the government would put up a good bargain for it...and that's why I lied. That's why I stole it. I know they have my father rotting away in some damn cell somewhere...his crimes put him there. And my crimes can get him out. I'll need to find him, first. Then I'll have to figure a way to get the 2x4's team off my back...and into the police's hands, without endangering myself in the process. With them out of the picture, I can wait till my arm heals and then bust my dad, chip or no chip...hopefully they'll clear our names with the chip. This all hurts my head._

_He knows a lot about me now. He knows I'm ambidextrous, I've done wrong, and that I've been shot. He knows I havent had a home cooked meal or slept well in months...he knows too much. I'm contemplating telling him the truth...to make both our lives so much easier. The question is...will the truth help us? Or will it be safer to lie and escape? So many questions, and I never wanted this life, I-_

A knock at the door shook Sarah from her thoughts. "Come in..."

Chuck leaned in the doorframe. "You all done?"

Sarah nodded. "Um...yeah." she folded the paper, slipping it into her pocket.

"Feeling any better?" Chuck asked with a knowing smile.

Feeling the urge to smile, Sarah fought it, glancing out the window. "Uh, yeah actually...I am.."

"Chuck" Sarah began

"Sarah-" Chuck started

The two couldn't help it. They both fell into a small fit of laughter, finally meeting each other's gaze halfway. Sarah fell silenced by his chocolate eyes.

"Ladies first..." Chuck murmured, though it were as if her beautiful blue gaze held him in a trance.

"I uh..." She found it increasingly hard to concentrate. Reluctantly, she broke the gaze, which seemed to shake them both to reality."I was asking...if I could...stay for a little while...Um...until things...fall...into place." The hardest sentence she'd ever spoken was finally out.

Chuck's smile made her heart flutter and her mind tsk at her in guilt. It was a bittersweet feeling that overcame her. "Oh, really? That's great! I mean...uh...perfectly alright with me..."

Sarah supressed a laugh at seeing him so nervous because of her. He seemed to look at her differently than Shaw or Justin did...more than just a pretty face.

"Oh, um, thanks..." She thanked him awkwardly, unsure of what to say. "I'll be out of your way, I promise..."

Chuck frowned. "No, don't worry about that...You'll probably want to kill me after a week anyway."

Sarah laughed. _'I highly doubt that...'_

"So, what was it you were going to say?" She asked.

"Hmm? Oh, I was wondering if...you wanted to stay, actually, so that worked out really well..."

"Oh..." Sarah felt a warm feeling inside. He was going to ask her to stay?

"So, we can focus on getting you all healed up and back on the road." Chuck stated somewhat awkwardly.

"Oh, okay...sounds good." Sarah hid her disappointment, nodding.

"Listen...Sarah..." Chuck began. "I'm going to get some groceries and stuff..." His cheeks were tinged with a cherry tone, one that Sarah seemed to adore. And Sarah Walker adored nothing. "Maybe...it's a chance for you to escape the house for a while?"

Sarah bit her lip. She nodded, rising from her chair, forgetting the note that fell from her pocket. She was quick to catch it, pushing it deeper into the pocket of Ellie's jeans.

Chuck watched how she was so protective of the paper. He made note of that mentally. She'd show him when she was ready, he was sure.

The two left the house, unknowingly embarking on what would soon become a very routine agenda.

**-BUYMORE PLAZA: 2:00 PM-**

**"**So this is my workplace." Chuck instructed. So far, he'd shown her the mall. They'd slipped in for an hour or so to buy Sarah some new clothes. Sarah had declined more than several times, but she learned that Chuck could be highly persistent when he wanted to.

"The Buymore?" Sarah asked with a raised brow. He was way too smart for that.

Chuck laughed. "Yeah, I own this guy." He leaned against the doorway. "It's really got a lot of memories for me..."

Sarah understood, nodding. "That makes sense. So what do you do?"

"Well, i mainly lead that little group there...The Nerd Herd." He nodded to the group of whiteshirts sitting by a round isle in the center of the store.

Sarah wouldnt't lie...they looked like braindead morons.

"We'll have to scoot by them somehow..." Chuck commented.

"Why can't we just-" She stopped as two funny looking men approached. One looked indian, and the other a drunken caucasian.

"Too late...oh god." Chuck muttered, turning. "Hey fellas. How's work?"

"Forget that...Who's the supermodel?" The indian, who's nametag read: Lester, spoke.

"Yeah, She's hot..." Jeff mumbled, eyes on her.

Sarah looked at Chuck, who bore an apologetic smile. "I am so sorry for this." He murmured in her ear, sending a chill down her back.

"This is my girlfriend, Sarah..."

"Yeah, and Jeff here has had a sober streak for two weeks now." Lester scoffed. "What's the real deal..." His eyes fell to her bandaged arm. "Oh, Bartowski, did you beat a hooker?"

"What?" Chuck was clueless. Then he followed Lester's gaze. "What, no! Of course not! She's my girlfriend, and she fell...helping Ellie fix the lights..."

"Ahh...Eleanor..." Lester smirked. "Okay, I'll take it for now, Bartowski...But I'm watching you..." he nodded.

Chuck shook his head, gently leading Sarah safely to his office.

Sarah did the unexpected; she burst into laughter once they shut the door. "Oh my god...Who were they?"

Chuck sighed, shaking his head. "They were the family idiots, Jeff and Lester...and I can't fire them, because I don't have the heart..."

"But I'm your girlfriend, then?" Sarah hid her smirk. Being with Chuck...it made her feel young and alive again...like her previous real life...never existed.

"Oh, um..." Chuck's cheeks turned beet red. "Well...uh...I didn't want them to bother you, and that was the quickest route...It was a stupid mistake...Im sorry..."

Sarah wore an amused smile. "I didn't mind...not at all, Chuck."

Chuck sighed in relief.

Sarah's heart fluttered when she heard that Chuck was being protective of her...he cared enough to lie to his employees...which made it all sweeter.

Sarah's eyes roamed his small office, taking in the swordfish on the wall behind him.

"You fish?"

"Huh? Oh, ha...nope. That was the old bosses'...he still likes to drop by and give advice...it'd be a total insult to throw away his fish." Chuck laughed, eyes working on a laptop he seemed to be fixing.

Sarah's eyes found a few pictures on his desk.

The first was a man, with blonde hair and a very fit physique, holding a beautiful brunette girl, who shared many of Chuck's features.

"Ah, thats's Awesome and Ellie, my family..." Chuck smiled. "They patched your arm up last night..."

Sarah nodded, examining the picture. Family. Something she was utterly jealous of.

"Chuck, your sister is beautiful..." She commented gently.

Chuck smiled. "Thanks..."

Sarah looked like she was holding in a question.

"Ask away." Chuck replied, not looking up once from his laptop.

Sarah looked shocked. He was starting to read her very easily...which would be a problem, in most cases.

"Awesome?"

That was all she needed to say. Chuck burst into laughter.

"Well, funny story..." And the family tales began, the laptop and chip long forgotten.


End file.
